Ellen Ochoa (1958-present): First Hispanic Woman to Visit The Space; Top 10 Famous Hispanic Scientists #10. The field of X-ray optics was greatly expanded after its invention. Other notable names include astrophysicist France A. Crdova, the first women to hold the position of NASA Chief Scientist and now Director of the National Science Foundation; Mexican engineer Guillermo Gonzlez Camarena, who invented an early color television transmission system; molecular biologist Lydia Villa-Komaroff, who conducted pioneering work in DNA technology and protein synthesis; and computer scientist Luis Von Ahn, a MacArthur Fellow who co-created CAPTCHA while a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University and then invented ReCAPTCHA and Duolingo. They were made in hot clay pots, and not in the microwave. VentureWell reports that Hispanic inventors file for patents at half the rate of Black inventors, a trend the USPTO is determined to . Norton is a master of figuring out a new purpose for each discarded part. Mario Molina is a Mexican scientist and chemist. Then it was up to Spanish-language media to get the word out. Photo by Monica M. Smith. By Camilo Smith September 28, 2015 5:48 pm. To help prevent spam bots from accessing computer systems, CAPTCHA (standing for "Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart") is a randomly produced challenge-response test. More than 40 transdermal products with ingredients like nicotine, hormones, painkillers, and antidepressants have received FDA approval. Born in Guatemala City, Dr. Luis Von Ahn was granted U.S. Patent 8,555,353 for "Methods and Apparatuses for Controlling Access to Computer Systems and for Annotating Media Files" - or Captcha for distinguishing human from machine input to prevent spam and automated extraction of data from web sites. Juan Lozano's company Tecnologia Aeroespacial Mexicana sells the Rocket Belt for a hefty price. The Peral submarine is considered the worlds first electric battery operated submarine. Paper-bag-making machine. 10 Awesome Latino Inventions. More than two decades ago, and only three years after her first space flight, Ochoa spoke about her life and inventive career with middle-school students at a 1996 Innovative Lives program at the Lemelson Center. The first time I discovered Dr. Ellen Ochoa (1958-) Mexican-American, who invented Optical Lenses for Space was on Google. On top of the usual festivities, were giving extra recognition to often overlooked Hispanic inventors whose contributions have benefited communities around the world. The first oral contraceptive, tradename Norinyl, was manufactured by Syntex Corp. Victor Celorio patented the "Instabook Maker" a technology supporting e-book distribution by quickly and elegantly printing an offline copy. Ochoa also developed the adjustable wrench and the Ochoaplane (an aircraft with foldable wings). Historically, September gives us plenty of reasons to rejoice. Miramontes worked out the missing piece of the puzzle to create progestin, a progesterone-like hormone that could be taken orally to prevent ovulation. Moving on to another impactful inventor is Albert Bez who co-invented an x-ray reflection microscope in 1948. In putting together my thoughts for Hispanic Heritage Month, I called on my old friend Dr. Jose (Joe) V. Martinez. Like all other human ethnicities, Hispanics have their fair share of great minds and inventors. Ophthalmologist. First African-American female physician to receive a patent for a medical invention; inventions relate to cataract surgery and include the Laserphaco Probe, which revolutionized the industry in the 1980s, and an ultrasound technique for treatment. A true character in his time, religion and . Sarah Breedlove Walker was an inventor and businesswoman, and became one of the largest employers of African-American women of her time. These are some of their most notable names and contributions. Bez worked for and lectured for the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Her inventions now help NASA process information collected on missions. Here are a select few of some of the most notable. President Ronald Reagan expanded it in 1988 to a 30-day period beginning on September 15 and concluding on October 15. The color transmission was broadcast direct from his laboratory in Mexico City. Find out how to protect intellectual property in other countries. Spanish singer and voice teacher Manuel Garca invented the laryngoscope in 1854. Celorio was born on July 27, 1957, in Mexico City. Astronaut Ellen Ochoa, STS-110 Atlantis mission specialist, works the controls of the Canadarm2 robotic arm in the Destiny Laboratory on the International Space Station, April 11, 2002. At the age of 100, he was received at Buckingham Palace by King Edward VII. In 2005, the Lemelson Center featured Mexican graduate student inventor Jos Luis Hernndez-Rebollar in our Innovative Lives program series. File a trademark application and other documents online through TEAS. This version was a vast improvement on simply crushing the potatoes on your own as it produced a smoother and more buttery soft potato. ThoughtCo, Jul. After spending his early years in Spain, he enlisted in the Spanish navy in 1866. So, he famously gutted the submarine's interior and destroyed plans to prevent the technology from falling into foreign nations' hands. Since then Villafaa has continued to be an innovator (with several patents) and a serial entrepreneur, founding another major company, St. Jude Medicalknow for the St. Jude valveas well as ATS Medical and several smaller companies. Additionally, he promoted the use of TVs to broadcast educational shows to Mexicans living in rural areas with high rates of illiteracy. Uruguayan entrepreneur and biochemist Alejandro Zaffaroni created a system for drugs to be administered to the body through skin bandages. Check trademark application status and view all documents associated with an application/registration. His early work with controlled drug delivery techniques, particularly his early thoughts on transdermal patches, sparked an increase in a study into innovative drug delivery systems. Left: Victor Leaton Ochoa, inventor and Mexican revolutionary, undated, AC0590-0000008. Over the centuries, many remarkable scientists have emerged from Spanish-speaking lands, cultures and ancestors. Attacking Asian innovation. Dr. Villalobos would combine his highly precise scalpel with a microtome into a new device that enabled researchers to cut very thin slices of tissue, minerals or plant matter to be examined under the microscope. In 1963, Liotta and E. Stanley Crawford successfully implanted the Left Ventricle Assist Device (LVAD) in surgery. The above are but a small yet significant selection of the many Hispanic people making great strides in various aspects of human life. Eyeglasses. Courtesy of a Fulbright scholarship, he came to the USto earn a PhD in electrical engineering at George Washington University, where he received two USPatents (7,565,295 and 8,140,339) both for a method and apparatus for translating hand gestures for the AcceleGlove. Born in California, Elena T. Medo has been granted nine U.S. Following the interview, Pezuela y Lobo agreed to support Peral's initial research in Cdiz with a 5,000 peseta budget before starting a project to construct a full-scale submarine boat. Benjamin Valles of Chihuahua, Mexico, developed a system and a method for pre-forming cable for promoting adhesion to overmolding sensor body for Delphi Technologies Inc. Thomas L. Jennings. 1. He . Art by Stephany Torres for Remezcla. There she developed three optics-related patents, which help computers process information more quickly and efficiently. He also developed the three-phase system of electric power transmission. Though annoying at times, reCAPTCHA helps computers differentiate between robots and human beings, keeping internet users safe from malware and spam. Linares invented the pressurized space suit in 1936, initially to protect people flying in hot air balloons to high altitudes. Find upcoming programs related to IP policy and international affairs. Nikola Tesla, (born July 9/10, 1856, Smiljan, Austrian Empire [now in Croatia]died January 7, 1943, New York, New York, U.S.), Serbian American inventor and engineer who discovered and patented the rotating magnetic field, the basis of most alternating-current machinery. A laundry operation circa 1925 . The Spanish word for a pencil sharpener is el sacapuntas, and the first rendition of this invention was very unlike the one that we use today. He continued to study and teach privately until his death in London in July of 1906 at the age of 101. Liotta's device was implanted in a 47-year-old patient with severe heart failure. File a patent application online with EFS-web, Single interface replacement for EFS-Web, Private PAIR and Public PAIR, Check patent application status with Patent Center and Private PAIR, Pay maintenance fees and learn more about filing fees and other payments, Resolve disputes regarding patents with PTAB. Dr. Liotta graduated from the National University of Cordoba in Argentina where he received his doctorate in Medicine and Surgery. For now, I would like to share a few intriguing stories, primarily of people who have been documented at the Lemelson Centerso far. You sit down on the couch, turn on the TV, and prepare to watch the weekends biggest game. You could hone your cooking skills by inviting family and friends over for aHispanic-inspired dinnerparty, host a Spanish movie night, or attend a local event put on by a Hispanic organization. He then went back to the University of Chile in the 1980s. At that point, the government approved the NTSC television color standard. Inventors Jacob Fitzgerald and William H. Silver applied for a patent for the 'potato-masher and fruit-crusher' which was designed to crush the potato through a series of small holes, similar to a garlic press. He was also inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2007. Born in Puebla, Mexico in 1969, Hernndez-Rebollar earned his bachelors degree in electronics from the Benmerita Universidad Autnoma de Puebla (BUAP) and his masters degree in electronic engineering from the Instituto Nacional de Astrofsica, Optica y Electrnica. From birth control pills to color television, Mexican inventors have contributed to creating many notable inventions. The unique egg shape of this sponge-like tool came to Silva during a special effects makeup class when she learned the value of makeup application with different sizes and shapes of beauty tools. Side note: He is the father of singer Joan Baez. We are not responsible or liable for the availability of links to websites or resources, or for any content, advertising, products, services, or other materials on or available through these websites or resources, or for your reliance thereon. First on the list is Ignacio Urresti. In 1830, he became a military doctor and became curious about vocal anatomy. This procedure proved to be a viable option as a bridge to cardiac transplantation. A . Lin-Manuel Miranda. Walker was the first African American woman to become a self-made millionaire after creating a line of hair products geared toward Black hair. The Sept. 15 start . The network that would later become Univision released this series of ads calling on "Hispanics" to fill out the 1980 Census. This includes people who reported detailed Hispanic or Latino groups.". Dr. Jose Hernandez-Rebollar was born in Puebla, Mexico, on the 14th of July, 1969. Walker (December 23, 1867-May 25, 1919) Smith Collection / Gado / Getty Images. Mexican inventor Victor Ochoa was also a Mexican revolutionary. For the next three hours, you enjoy the vibrant colors and pristine pictures as your favorite team defeats the opposition. Courtesy of NASA. Mousepad. Born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, on the 18th of February, 1924, Humberto Fernndez-Morn Villalobos was a Venezuelan research scientist who made numerous significant scientific contributions. Born in Guadalajara, Mxico, Guillermo Gonzlez Camarena was granted U.S. Patent 2,296,019 for a "Chromoscopic adapter for television equipment", an early color television transmission system. Ochoa was the first Hispanic woman to go to space when she served on a nine-day mission aboard the shuttle Discovery in 1993. Ruiz Robles was a dedicated teacher and educator who began her career at a time when only 25% of the female population knew how to read and write. Ochoa also invented the Ochoaplane and the adjustable wrench. A more recent Lemelson Center connection was made with Manuel Manny Villafaa, who is briefly highlighted in the Centers Places of Invention exhibition and whose papers are in the Archives Center along with his heart valve collection housed in the Museums Division of Medicine and Science. Although progesterone was used in contraception before 1951, it needed to be injected. She was born Sarah Breedlove on 12/23/1867 in Delta Louisiana. In addition to inventing, Ochoa was also an ardent supporter of the Mexican Revolution and at one point there was a $50,000 bounty on his head. Born in Per, Claudio Castilln Lvano was granted U.S. Patent 6,884,211 for a "Neonatal Artificial Bubble" that improves the intensive care of high-risk newborns. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Miguel Angel Ondetti has been granted more than 100 patents, including U.S. Patent 4,105,776 for "Proline Derivatives and Related Compounds" also known as angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors to treat hypertension. The result was the creation of the term "Hispanic", first introduced in the US Census in 1970. He spent time in both nations during the following years until passing away in Chile in 2003. Some of the things you have used -and some you haven't- were invented by a Latino and you didn't even know it. (1941-) is an engineer and inventor. Claudio Castilln Lvano, an engineer from Peru, developed a portable incubator and respirator for premature infants. Born in El Salvador, Jacobo G. Maria was granted U.S. Patent 4,366,935 for a "Device and Process for Spinning or Twisting and Winding Yarn.". The recipient lived for 64 hours with the artificial heart before receiving a real one. According to the Smithsonian, Victor Ochoa had a reward of $50,000 offered for his delivery dead or alive to Porfirio Diaz, President of Mexico. 10. For "involuntary reasons" following the military takeover of Chile in 1973, he temporarily moved from Chile to Mexico. In the 1970s, Zaffaroni was granted patents for transdermal systemic medication delivery. One such device came from the mind of Emilio Herrera Linares, from Spain. Ochoa became most notoriousas a Mexican revolutionary; in the 1890s, he had a $50,000 bounty on his head,to be delivered dead or alive to President Porfirio Daz of Mexico! Mention their names and achievements below to share with the Direct Auto community! He sold the patent in 1907 to the American Brake Company in Seattle. He was made Minister of Science in the final year of the Marcos Prez Jimnez dictatorship and was forced to flee Venezuela in 1958 when the regime was abolished. Victor Ochoa with his folding wing plane (wings folded), circa 1933. In 2012, Ochoa became the first Hispanic and second woman to be named Director of NASAs Johnson Space Flight Center in Houston, Texas. His legacy is lasting, and his inventions are helping humans have a higher quality of life each day. The inventor was issued U.S. Patent No. He is most famous today for his invention of an early laryngoscope in 1854. This procedure helps clear blocked blood vessels and improves blood flow to the heart. George Washington Carver. At the age of 17, he invented and patented his "chromoscopic adapter for television equipment.". First observed as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson in 1968, the commemoration has expanded to a month-long event honoring the histories, cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. Biography of Alexander Graham Bell, Inventor of the Telephone, Inventor Samuel Crompton and His Spinning Mule, Important Innovations and Inventions, Past and Present, Biography of Thomas Adams, American Inventor, May Calendar of Famous Inventions and Birthdays, The Most Impactful Inventions of the Last 300 Years, Mechanical Television History and John Baird, Black History Month - African American Patent Holders - B, August Calendar of Famous Inventions and Birthdays, Elephant Toothpaste Chemistry Demonstration, September Calendar of Famous Inventions and Birthdays. Philanthropist and entrepreneur Madam C.J. Csar Milstein (1927-2002): A Pioneer in the Field of Monoclonal Antibodies #8. Material in this article is for general information or entertainment purposes only and was accurate as of the date of first publication. [18] [19] [20] Beard, Andrew. Jaime Escalante (1930-2010): The Best teacher in North America #9. From searching for solutions to climate change challenges to finding cures for terminal illnesses, Latin American women innovators are . Jose Hernandez-Rebollar invented the Acceleglove, a glove that can translate sign language into speech. Born in Ecuador, Graciela V.O. His earliest inventions at ALZA comprised a progesterone-releasing contraceptive and a thin film for treating glaucoma. Manuel Patricio Rodrguez Garca (1805-1906) was born on the 17th of March, 1805, in either Zafra in the Badajoz Province of Spain or Madrid. The"auto shutter Tico". 4. Mexican inventor Felipe Vadillo patented a method of predicting premature fetal membrane rupture in pregnant women. As a successful medical salesman at Picker International, Villafaa was recruited by Medtronic co-founder Earl Bakken (also featured in Places of Invention) and relocated to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Thats why in the early aughts, Mexican scientist Jos Hernndez-Rebollar invented an electric glove that can turn sign language into spoken words and text. This device allowed color to be captured by the black and white cameras of the time. Ochoa ended up in prisons in the USfor cross-border activities that violated USneutrality laws (he later escaped and was recaptured). In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15-Oct 15), we highlight a few of the Hispanic and Latinx scientists and engineers who made (and are making) important contributions to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Born to a family of health professionals in Panama, Murillo-Rohde studied . Of course there are many more inventors and innovators who merit further attention. The cyber-security technique was established in 2000 while Von Ahn was a Ph.D. student at Carnegie Mellon University. As of 2004, about 2,800 of the X . Peral was becoming impatient and felt he was losing control of his invention. Courtesy of NASA, A few stories of often overlooked inventors and innovators in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Incuvens patent was published by the United States in 2004, after more than 20 years of research and work by Lvano and his associates. Among many other scientific areas, he contributed to the development of electron cryomicroscopy, which uses superconductive electromagnetic lenses in electron microscopes to attain the highest resolution conceivable. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images. Marianne Paguia Gonzalez, a technologist and systems engineer at JPL-NASA, gives us insights into her work for the space agency and a whole lot of pointers on getting into NASA. She also contributed to creating three patents in the field of optics. Trademarks are property of their respective owner. Mexican inventor Victor Ochoa was also a Mexican revolutionary. In 1969, Liotta developed the first total artificial heart to . As a veteran of three space flights, logging over 719 hours in space, she was also an electrical engineer with patents on high-tech optical . Baez was a Ph.D. student at Stanford University in the 1940s when he . ", Born in Chile, Luis Alejandro Cavallo Caroca was granted U.S. Design Patent D582,231 for the "Ornamental Design of a Corkscrew" and also U.S. Design Patent D584,122 for the "Ornamental Design of Scissors.". Carl Djerassi, George Rosenkranz, and Luis Miramontes were granted US patent 2,744,122 for "oral contraceptives" on May 1, 1956. Two male inventorsCharles Gabriel Pravaz of Scotland and Alexander Wood of Franceindependently created the first fine-needle syringes usable on humans in the early 1850s. Born in Los Angeles, California in 1958, Ellen Ochoa is probably the best known example of a successful Hispanic inventor and innovator. The ads feature "Hispanic" sports stars and. These bandages were found to be especially beneficial for controlled drug delivery. Field: Botanist, Inventor and Teacher. There he met a lot of children who complained that they couldn't play football. Rea Ann Silva and her now famous invention. Top List of Mexican Inventors. Have a comment about the web page you were viewing? The following year he also published observations of his larynx and vocal cords made with a small dental mirror introduced into the throat and using sunlight reflected by another mirror, becoming the first person to study human vocal folds in action. On April 18, 1965 (at the age of 48), he was killed in an automobile accident in Puebla while traveling back from Las Lajas, Veracruz, where he had been examining a television transmitter. In 1971, Villafaa left to set up rival company Cardiac Pacemakers Inc. to develop a cardiac pacemaker using a new lithium battery invented by engineer Wilson Greatbatch (who was featured in another 1996 Innovative Lives program). Ochoa is also known for inventing the ochoaplane, an adjustable wrench, and a pen and pencil clip, among other inventions. A fury erupted when the Washington Post reported last week that Former Heritage Foundation researcher Jason Richwine argued in his Harvard doctoral dissertation that Hispanics are genetically predisposed to have lower IQs. LEMELSON CENTER for the Study of Invention and Innovation. According to the Smithsonian Institution, Ellen Ochoa was the first Hispanic woman astronaut. Guerrilla warfare was developed in Spain. This is done for security purposes to block out hackers and bots that may do damage. The audio and video signals were sent in the 40-meter band at 115 MHz. Nevertheless, the University of Knigsberg later awarded him an honorary M.D. Born in Puerto Rico, Oscar Marty was granted U.S. Patent 7,185,467 for a "Modular system of forms for casting reinforced concrete buildings on site. A former captain in the Mexican Federal Army, he also served two years in jail and lost his U.S. citizenship for organizing an army in the United States for the purpose of invading Mexico. After his release, President Theodore Roosevelt restored his citizenship by a special proclamation in 1906. However,more famously, Ochoa was the first Hispanic woman astronaut, participating in four space shuttle flights for a total of 978 hours in space. However, the norethindrone version developed by Miramontes' team was approved shortly after and has since become an industry standard. It was described as a mechanical, electric, and air-pressure driven method for reading books. Although patented, Robless creation did not get the funding it needed to succeed, putting her among many on a list of lesser-known female inventors. Check out these everyday things that were actually invented for World War I. These are the most ironic inventions ever. Ochoas family is originally from Mexico, but they moved to California before she was born. Mexican American physicist Albert Baez co-invented the x-ray microscope with Dr. Paul Kirkpatrick in 1948. How many inventors can claim that?! Born in Spain, Jesus Maria Sanchez-Prez is a neurosurgeon that was granted U.S. Patent 2,617,944 for "Serial Roentgenography" circulatory system x-rays. Manuel Ussel de Guimbarda/Wikimedia Commons, Spanish engineer and naval officer Isaac Peral y Caballero (1851-1895) is credited with creating an early electrical-powered submarine, the "Peral Submarine.". Mary Bellis covered inventions and inventors for ThoughtCo for 18 years. Soon after, the first working prototype of an electrical submarine was created. He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2012. Today, transdermal drug patches are used to distribute contraceptives, antidepressants, nicotine, and pain medications. She went on four missions with NASA, spending 978 hours in outer space. Copyright 2023, Smithsonian Institution, All Rights Reserved, Highlighting Hispanic Inventors and Innovators, blog-smith-monica-2017-09-22-victor-ochoa-undated-ac0590-0000008-ochoaplane-undated-ac0590-0000009-cnmah-750-inline-edit.jpg, blog-smith-monica-2017-09-22-ellen-ochoa-sts110-e-5254-11-april-2002-cnasa-750-inline-edit.jpg, visit at the Smithsonians Udvar-Hazy Center, named Director of NASAs Johnson Space Flight Center, blog-smith-monica-2017-09-22-manny-villafana-at-st-jude-medical--27-june-2013-cmonica-smith-750-inline-edit.jpg, blog-smith-monica-2017-09-22-nsf-director-france-cordova-presenting-fy17-budget-9-february-2016-cnsf-750-inline-edit.jpg, Notes from the Director: Hispanic Heritage Month. Born in Puerto Rico, Olga D. Gonzlez-Sanabria was granted U.S. Patent 4,505,998 for "Alkaline Battery Containing a Separator of a Cross-Linked Polymer of Vinyl Alcohol and Unsaturated Carboxylic Acid." Born in Hungary and then later he migrated to Argentina, Jozsef Bir Laszlo was granted U.S. Patent 2,258,841 October 14, 1941 for a "Fountain Pen" - the father of the modern ballpoint pen. Manny Villafaa at St. Jude Medical headquarters, June 27, 2013. Chief among them was the invention of the diamond knife or scalpel and a significant advancement in the creation of electromagnetic lenses for electron microscopy based on superconducting technology. Later, in 2002, Silva was able to capitalize on the product and develop a commercial product that would earn her numerous honors and propel her business to the top of the cosmetics sector. 7,077,022 on July 18, 2006. A brief listing of notable Black American inventors. And so, on to the main event. Here is a list of the best technological inventions developed by Latinos. Alejandro Zaffaroni (1923-2014) was a biotechnology pioneer. 1938-2009. The first nuclear research reactor in Venezuela, the RV-1, one of the first in all of Latin America, was put into operation under the direction of Fernndez-Morn in 1957. Born in Uruguay, Alejandro Zaffaroni was one of the most innovative and impactful pioneers in the history of biotechnology. Dr. Tang is named on 84 patents and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2018 for his co-invention of the OLED. Ellen Ochoa. According to the World Health Organization, over 5 percent of the population worldwide suffers from hearing trouble and this invention has the potential to revolutionize the way we communicate.